William Roth

American politician (1921–2003)

For other uses, see William Roth (disambiguation).

"Senator Roth" redirects here. For other uses, see Senator Roth (disambiguation).

William Roth

Official portrait, c. 1971–1990

United States Senator
from Delaware
In office
January 1, 1971 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by| John J. Williams
Succeeded by| Tom Carper
Chair of the Senate Finance Committee
In office
October 1, 1995 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by| Bob Packwood
Succeeded by| Max Baucus
Chair of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee
In office
January 3, 1995 – October 1, 1995
Preceded by| John Glenn
Succeeded by| Ted Stevens
In office
January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by| Abraham Ribicoff
Succeeded by| John Glenn
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Delaware's at-large district
In office
January 3, 1967 – December 31, 1970
Preceded by| Harris McDowell
Succeeded by| Pete du Pont
Chair of the Delaware Republican Party
In office
April 10, 1961 – May 13, 1964
Preceded by| Ellwood S. Leach
Succeeded by| Clayton S. Harrison Jr.
Personal details
Born|

William Victor Roth Jr.

(1921-07-22)July 22, 1921
Great Falls, Montana, U.S.
Died| December 13, 2003(2003-12-13) (aged 82)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party| Republican
Spouse|

Jane Richards

(m. 1965)​

Children| 2
Alma mater| University of Oregon (BA)
Harvard University (MBA, LLB)
Signature|
Military service
Allegiance|  United States
Branch/service|  United States Army
Years of service| 1943–1946
Unit| Intelligence
Battles/wars| World War II

William Roth's voice

Roth congratulates Joe Biden on his recovery from a brain aneurysm
Recorded September 7, 1988

William Victor Roth Jr. (July 22, 1921 – December 13, 2003) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was a veteran of World War II and a member of the Republican Party. He served from 1967 to 1970 as the lone U.S. Representative from Delaware and from 1971 to 2001 as a U.S. Senator from Delaware.[1] He is the last Republican to serve as and/or be elected a U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Roth was a sponsor of legislation creating the Roth IRA, an individual retirement plan that can be set up with post-tax dollars, offering tax-free withdrawals.

## Early life and family

[edit]

Roth was born in Great Falls, Montana, the son of Clara (née Nelson) and William Victor Roth, who ran a brewery.[2] His paternal grandparents were German and his maternal grandparents were Swedish.[3] He attended public schools in Helena, Montana, graduating from Helena High School. Roth started college at Montana State University before moving on to graduate from the University of Oregon in 1943, Harvard Business School in 1947, and Harvard Law School in 1949. During World War II he served in a United States Army intelligence unit from 1943 until 1946.

After being admitted to the California Bar in 1950, he moved permanently to Delaware in 1954, and began his work as an attorney for the Hercules Corporation. He married Jane Richards in 1965 and they had two children, William III and Katharine. Jane Richards Roth was U.S. District Court judge for the District of Delaware from 1985 until 1991 and then a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. They were members of the Episcopal Church.

Roth became active in politics as a Republican, and served as secretary of the Delaware Republican Party and a vice president of the Active Young Republicans of New Castle County.[4] In addition, Roth served as a member of Delaware's "Little Hoover Commission", which studied state government and made recommendations for modernizing and reforming it.[4]

## Professional and political career

[edit]

Roth with President George H. W. Bush in 1990 Roth speaks on the floor of the Senate, c. 2000

After losing the election for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in 1960, Roth was named chair of the Delaware Republican Party on April 10, 1961.[5] He replaced incumbent Ellwood S. Leach.[6] He served until May 13, 1964, when he lost his reelection bid to Clayton S. Harrison Jr. by a 32–24 vote.[7][8] In 1966, he defeated incumbent U.S. Representative Harris McDowell, and went on to serve two terms in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1967, until December 31, 1970. Roth voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1968.[9]

He then began his five terms in the United States Senate, succeeding the retiring incumbent senator John J. Williams. He served in the U.S. Senate from January 1, 1971, having been appointed when Williams left office two days early, until January 3, 2001, having been defeated in the 2000 election by the Democratic candidate, Governor Tom Carper. Many consider Roth's defeat due to his age and health, as he collapsed twice during the campaign, once in the middle of a television interview and once during a campaign event.[10][11][12]

Roth was known for fiscal conservatism. Critics blamed him for national deficits during the presidency of Ronald Reagan.[13] He was a longtime member of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the Senate Committee on Finance, serving as chairman from September 12, 1995, through January 3, 2001. He was best remembered as a strong advocate of tax cuts, and he co-authored the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, also known as the Kemp-Roth Tax Cut with Jack Kemp. Roth was also the legislative sponsor of the individual retirement account plan that bears his name, the Roth IRA. It is a popular individual retirement account that has existed since 1998.[citation needed] The Roth 401(k), which did not become available until 2006, is also named after Roth.[14] He was also one of the few Republicans to vote for the Brady Bill and the ban on semi-automatic weapons. Roth strongly supported environmental protections. Roth was also very engaged in international affairs and policy. He served as the president of NATO's parliament, the North Atlantic Assembly, from 1996 to 1998.[15]

In 1977, Roth was one of nine senators to vote against the Senate adopting a stringent code of ethics intended to assist with the restoration of public confidence in Congress.[16]

On December 2, 1981, Roth was one of four senators to vote against[17] an amendment to President Reagan's MX missiles proposal that would divert the silo system by $334 million as well as earmark further research for other methods that would allow giant missiles to be based. The vote was seen as a rebuff of the Reagan administration.[18][19]

Roth voted in favor of the bill establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (as well to override President Reagan's veto).[20][21][22] Roth voted in favor of the nominations of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court.

During the 1999 impeachment of Bill Clinton Roth voted to convict the President on both charges of impeachment. However Clinton was acquitted on both charges.

Roth was a witty man but not a natural campaigner. To help himself, he would ease himself into public appearances by bringing along a Saint Bernard dog. His succession of St. Bernards through his 34-year political career became a trademark of sorts.[23]

## Death

[edit]

On December 12, 2003, Roth fell ill while visiting his daughter in Washington, and was admitted to George Washington University Hospital, where he died from heart failure the following day.[24] The Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Bridge carrying Delaware Route 1 was dedicated as the Senator William V. Roth Jr. Bridge, and a celebration was held on July 9, 2007. The bridge is a cable-stayed bridge and notable landmark in northern Delaware. Roth helped secure its funding.

## Electoral history

[edit]

Public offices

Office  | Type  | Location  | Began office  | Ended office  | Notes
U.S. Representative | Legislature  | Washington | January 3, 1967  | January 3, 1969  |
January 3, 1969  | December 31, 1970  |
U.S. Senator | January 1, 1971  | January 3, 1977  |
January 3, 1977  | January 3, 1983  |
January 3, 1983  | January 3, 1989  |
January 3, 1989  | January 3, 1995  |
January 3, 1995  | January 3, 2001  |
United States Congressional service

Dates  | Congress  | Chamber  | Majority  | President  | Committees  | Class/District
1967–1969  | 90th | U.S. House | Democratic | Lyndon B. Johnson |  | at-large
1969–1971  | 91st | Richard Nixon |
1971–1973  | 92nd | U.S. Senate | Democratic | Governmental Affairs
Finance | class 1
1973–1975  | 93rd | Richard Nixon
Gerald R. Ford
1975–1977  | 94th | Gerald Ford
1977–1979  | 95th | Jimmy Carter
1979–1981  | 96th
1981–1983  | 97th | U.S. Senate | Republican | Ronald Reagan | Governmental Affairs, Chair
Finance
1983–1985  | 98th
1985–1987  | 99th
1987–1989  | 100th | U.S. Senate | Democratic | Governmental Affairs
Finance
1989–1991  | 101st | George H. W. Bush
1991–1993  | 102nd
1993–1995  | 103rd | Bill Clinton
1995–1997  | 104th | U.S. Senate | Republican | Governmental Affairs, Chair
Finance, Chair
1997–1999  | 105th
1999–2001  | 106th
Election results

Year  | Office  | Election  |  | Republican  | Votes  | %  |  | Democrat  | Votes  | %
1960  | Lt. Governor | General |  | William V. Roth Jr. | 96,671  | 50%  |  | Eugene Lammot | 97,826  | 50%
1966 | U.S. Representative |  | 90,961  | 56%  |  | Harris B. McDowell Jr. | 72,142  | 44%
1968 |  | 117,827  | 59%  |  | 82,993  | 41%
1970 | U.S. Senator |  | 94,979  | 59%  |  | Jacob W. Zimmerman  | 64,740  | 40%
1976 |  | 125,454  | 56%  |  | Thomas C. Maloney  | 98,042  | 44%
1982 |  | 105,357  | 55%  |  | David N. Levinson | 84,413  | 44%
1988 |  | 151,115  | 62%  |  | Shien Biau Woo | 92,378  | 38%
1994 |  | 111,074  | 56%  |  | Charles M. Oberly III | 84,540  | 42%
2000 |  | 142,891  | 44%  |  | Thomas R. Carper | 181,566  | 56%

## Works

[edit]

* Roth, William V. Jr.; Nixon, William H. (1999). The Power to Destroy: How the IRS Became America. Atlantic Monthly Press. ISBN 0-87113-748-8.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Roth, William Victor Jr. (1921 - 2003)". United States Congress. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
2. ^ "Roth Biography". dehistory.org. Delaware Historical Society. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
3. ^ "United States Census, 1930", FamilySearch, retrieved April 26, 2018
4. ^ a b "The Candidates .... Their backgrounds: William V. Roth, Jr. for Lieutenant Governor". Wilmington Morning News. Wilmington, DE. September 1, 1960. p. 3 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Biography – Senator William V Roth".
6. ^ "The Morning News 11 Apr 1961, page Page 1".
7. ^ "The Morning News 13 May 1964, page Page 1".
8. ^ Miller, Beth (December 15, 2003). "Roth remembered for 'pure heart'". The News Journal. Archived from the original on December 17, 2003. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
9. ^ "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES".
10. ^ Gorenstein, Nathan. "In Delaware, Gov. Carper ousts 5-term Sen. Roth". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 12, 2001. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
11. ^ "Delaware U.S. Race, 2000 -- Sussex County Online, Delaware". sussexcountyonline.com. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
12. ^ Wilkie, Curtis (October 26, 2000). "In tight race, health issues dog Delaware's Roth". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on February 12, 2001.
13. ^ "Sen. William Roth, 82; Created Popular Retirement Account". LA Times. December 15, 2003. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
14. ^ Dustin, Woodard. "About: Mutual Funds: The Roth 401k".
15. ^ "NATO PA - PRESIDENTS FROM 1955 TO 2014". Retrieved August 8, 2016.
16. ^ "SENATE, 86-9, ADOPTS A STRICT ETHICS CODE TO BUILD CONFIDENCE". New York Times. April 2, 1977.
17. ^ "The 90-4 vote by which the Senate approved the..." UPI. December 3, 1981.
18. ^ Roberts, Steven V. (December 3, 1981). "SENATORS REJECT PLAN FOR PLACING MX MISSILE IN SILOS". New York Times.
19. ^ Webbe, Stephen (December 4, 1981). "Reagan scorns Senate rejection of silo-based MX missile plan". The Christian Science Monitor.
20. ^ "TO PASS H.R. 3706. (MOTION PASSED) SEE NOTE(S) 19".
21. ^ "TO PASS S 557, CIVIL RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT, A BILL TO RESTORE THE BROAD COVERAGE AND CLARIFY FOUR CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS BY PROVIDING THAT IF ONE PART OF AN INSTITUTION IS FEDERALLY FUNDED, THEN THE ENTIRE INSTITUTION MUST NOT DISCRIMINATE".
22. ^ "TO ADOPT, OVER THE PRESIDENT'S VETO OF S 557, CIVIL RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT, A BILL TO RESTORE BROAD COVERAGE OF FOUR CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS BY DECLARING THAT IF ONE PART OF AN INSTITUTION RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDS, THEN THE ENTIRE INSTITUTION MUST NOT DISCRIMINATE. TWO-THIRDS OF THE SENATE, HAVING VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, OVERRODE THE PRESIDENTIAL VETO".
23. ^ "ONLY IN DELAWARE: WILLIAM V. ROTH JR".
24. ^ Wald, Matthew L. (December 15, 2003). "William V. Roth Jr., Veteran of U.S. Senate, Dies at 82". The New York Times. p. B10. Retrieved December 9, 2023.

Other sources

* Barone, Michael & Richard E. Cohen (2005). Almanac of American Politics. Washington: National Journal Group. ISBN 0-89234-112-2.
* William W. Boyer (2000). Governing Delaware. Newark: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-721-7.

## External links

[edit]

* Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
* U.S. Senator William V. Roth, Jr. home page (archived from December 2000)
* Appearances on C-SPAN

Party political offices

Preceded by

David P. Buckson

|  Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
1960  | Succeeded by

William T. Best

Preceded by

Ellwood S. Leach

|  Chair of the Delaware Republican Party
1961–1964  | Succeeded by

Clayton S. Harrison Jr.

Preceded by

John J. Williams

|  Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Delaware
(Class 1)
1970, 1976, 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000 | Succeeded by

Jan Ting

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by

Harris McDowell

|  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Delaware's at-large congressional district
1967–1970  | Succeeded by

Pete du Pont

U.S. Senate
Preceded by

John J. Williams

|  U.S. senator (Class 1) from Delaware
1971–2001
Served alongside: J. Caleb Boggs, Joe Biden | Succeeded by

Tom Carper

Preceded by

Abraham Ribicoff

|  Chair of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee
1981–1987  | Succeeded by

John Glenn

Preceded by

Thomas Eagleton

|  Ranking Member of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee
1987–1995
Preceded by

John Glenn

|  Chair of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee
1995  | Succeeded by

Ted Stevens

Preceded by

Bob Packwood

|  Chair of the Senate Finance Committee
1995–2001  | Succeeded by

Max Baucus

* v
* t
* e

Members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware

* Vining
* Patten
* Latimer
* Bayard
* C. A. Rodney
* Broom
* Van Dyke
* Ridgely
* Cooper
* Clayton
* McLane
* Hall
* D. Rodney
* Johns
* Milligan
* Robinson
* G. B. Rodney
* J. W. Houston
* Riddle
* Cullen
* Whiteley
* Fisher
* Temple
* Smithers
* Nicholson
* Biggs
* Lofland
* J. Williams
* Martin
* Lore
* Penington
* Causey
* Willis
* Handy
* J. H. Hoffecker
* W. O. Hoffecker
* Ball
* H. A. Houston
* Burton
* Heald
* Brockson
* Miller
* Polk
* Layton
* Boyce
* R. G. Houston
* Adams
* Stewart
* Allen
* G. S. Williams
* Traynor
* Willey
* Boggs
* Warburton
* McDowell
* Haskell
* Roth
* du Pont
* Evans
* Carper
* Castle
* Carney
* Blunt Rochester
* McBride

* v
* t
* e

United States senators from Delaware

Class 1|

* Read
* Latimer
* White
* Horsey
* C. Rodney
* T. Clayton
* McLane
* Naudain
* R. Bayard
* J. M. Clayton
* Wales
* J. Bayard Jr.
* Riddle
* J. Bayard Jr.
* T. Bayard Sr.
* Gray
* Ball
* H. du Pont
* Wolcott
* T. du Pont
* T. Bayard Jr.
* Townsend
* Tunnell
* Williams
* Roth
* Carper
* Blunt Rochester

Class 2|

* Bassett
* Vining
* J. Clayton
* Wells
* J. Bayard Sr.
* Wells
* Van Dyke
* D. Rodney
* Ridgely
* J. M. Clayton
* T. Clayton
* Spruance
* J. M. Clayton
* Comegys
* Bates
* W. Saulsbury Sr.
* E. Saulsbury
* Higgins
* Kenney
* Allee
* Richardson
* W. Saulsbury Jr.
* Ball
* T. du Pont
* Hastings
* Hughes
* Buck
* Frear
* Boggs
* Biden
* Kaufman
* Coons

* v
* t
* e

Chairs of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Expenditures in Executive Departments
(1921-1952)|

* McCormick
* Reed
* Sackett
* Goff
* Steiwer
* Lewis
* Van Nuys
* Hill
* Aiken
* McClellan

Government Operations
(1952-1977)|

* McClellan
* McCarthy
* McClellan
* Ervin
* Ribicoff

Governmental Affairs
(1977-2005)|

* Ribicoff
* Roth
* Glenn
* Roth
* Stevens
* Thompson
* Lieberman
* Thompson
* Lieberman
* Collins

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
(2005-)|

* Collins
* Lieberman
* Carper
* Johnson
* Peters
* Paul

* v
* t
* e

Chairs of the United States Senate Committee on Finance

* Campbell
* Eppes
* Sanford
* Holmes
* Lowrie
* Smith
* Forsyth
* Webster
* Wright
* Clay
* Evans
* Woodbury
* Calhoun
* Lewis
* Atherton
* Dickinson
* Hunter
* Pearce
* Fessenden
* Sherman
* Fessenden
* Sherman
* Morrill
* Bayard
* Morrill
* Voorhees
* Morrill
* Aldrich
* Penrose
* Simmons
* Penrose
* McCumber
* Smoot
* Harrison
* George
* Millikin
* George
* Millikin
* Byrd
* Long
* Dole
* Packwood
* Bentsen
* Moynihan
* Packwood
* Roth
* Baucus
* Grassley
* Baucus
* Grassley
* Baucus
* Wyden
* Hatch
* Grassley
* Wyden
* Crapo

* v
* t
* e

Delaware's delegation(s) to the 90th–106th United States Congresses (ordered by seniority)

| 90th |

Senate:

* ▌J. Williams (R)
* ▌C. Boggs (R)

House: ▌W. Roth (R)

|
|

91st |

Senate:

* ▌J. Williams (R)
* ▌C. Boggs (R)

House: ▌W. Roth (R)

92nd |

Senate:

* ▌C. Boggs (R)
* ▌W. Roth (R)

House: ▌P. du Pont (R)

93rd |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌P. du Pont (R)

94th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌P. du Pont (R)

95th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌T. Evans (R)

96th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌T. Evans (R)

97th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌T. Evans (R)

98th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌T. Carper (D)

99th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌T. Carper (D)

100th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌T. Carper (D)

101st |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌T. Carper (D)

102nd |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌T. Carper (D)

103rd |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌M. Castle (R)

104th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌M. Castle (R)

105th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌M. Castle (R)

106th |

Senate:

* ▌W. Roth (R)
* ▌J. Biden (D)

House: ▌M. Castle (R)

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